The present invention relates to a mechanical fastening tab suitable for use on a disposable absorbent product. Specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanical fastening tab having improved flexibility.
Disposable absorbent products such as diapers, adult incontinence products, and the like are known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, mechanical fastening means for fastening such absorbent products about the waist of a wearer are similarly known to those skilled in the art. Examples of known mechanical fasteners include hook-and-loop type fasteners.
Unfortunately, mechanical fasteners such as hook-and-loop type fasteners have not been widely used on commercial disposable absorbent products. One reason for the fact that mechanical fasteners have not been widely used commercially on disposable absorbent products is that such mechanical fasteners tend to be relatively expensive and thus difficult to use economically on a disposable product. This is particularly true when the mechanical fasteners are designed to have fastening properties which render them suitable for use on disposable absorbent products. Similarly, mechanical fasteners which are inexpensive enough to use on a disposable absorbent product tend to have fastening properties which are insufficient for satisfactory use on disposable absorbent products.
Specifically, in use, mechanical fasteners on disposable absorbent products are generally subjected to both shear and peel forces. As used herein, shear forces are intended to refer to forces which are applied to the mechanical fasteners in a plane generally parallel to the plane of attachment between the fastener components. Peel forces are intended to refer to a force applied at an angle of 90 degrees or greater to separate the fastener components of a mechanical fastening tab in a peeling fashion. A mechanical fastener which does not possess sufficient resistance to shear and peel forces would, in use on a disposable absorbent product, tend to disengage, resulting in the disposable absorbent product losing its securement about the waist of a wearer. This is, obviously, undesirable.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide mechanical fasteners suitable for use on disposable absorbent products, which mechanical fasteners are inexpensive enough to render their use on a disposable product feasible, and yet which possess sufficient resistance to peel and shear forces to produce a disposable absorbent product which is satisfactory in use. It is to this goal that the present invention is directed.